Backflips Against Bullying: Empowering Students Through Movement and Education

On June 8, both Primary and Secondary students were captivated by a performance from Backflips Against Bullying, presented by Action Education. This unique program combines parkour and aerobatics to engage students while addressing the critical issue of bullying. Supported by renowned bullying expert and psychologist, Evelyn M. Field, OAM, the program follows a comprehensive 3-Pronged Approach.

1. Build Them Strong: The program focuses on teaching resilience and equipping victims with practical tools to navigate bullying situations effectively. By empowering students, it helps them develop the confidence and skills to stand up against bullying.

2. Social Influence: Backflips Against Bullying emphasises the importance of social influence in creating a positive school culture. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and actively support each other, fostering a sense of accountability and empathy within the student body.

3. Classroom Consolidation: To ensure a holistic approach to bullying prevention, the program provides teacher resources. Following the performances, teachers facilitated classroom discussions and activites, engaging students in self-reflection, and addressing specific topics related to bullying.

The Backflips Against Bullying program tailors its performances to different age groups. One performance was targeted at primary schools, while the other was specifically designed for high schools. The topics explored during these presentations included:

Primary School:

• Empowering the Bystander: Encouraging students to intervene and support victims.
• Exit Strategies: Equipping students with strategies to remove themselves from bullying situations.
• Retaliation: Discussing the consequences of retaliation and promoting peaceful conflict resolution.

Primary and High School:

• Resilience: Building students' resilience to bounce back from bullying experiences.
• Self-Reflection: Encouraging students to examine their own behaviors and attitudes towards bullying.
• Cyber-Bullying: Addressing the dangers of online bullying and promoting digital citizenship.

High School:

• Aggression and Its Consequences: Exploring the impacts of aggressive behavior and promoting alternatives.
• Suicide and Depression: Raising awareness about the serious consequences of bullying and fostering a supportive environment.

The Backflips Against Bullying program offers a powerful and engaging approach to tackle the issue of bullying in schools. By combining dynamic performances with educational content, it sparks important discussions, instills resilience, and promotes empathy among students.

The program received a lot of postive feedback from both students and staff, as can be seen in the video below. Together, through programs like Backflips Against Bullying, Jindabyne Central School is committed to working towards creating safe and inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive.